Emerald Cove
by Sericatus
Summary: The battle log of the UNSC Fateful Lightning, FFG-918, dated June 27-28, 2542, concerning the Battle of Emerald Cove. Courtesy of the UNSC Archival Department.


Ship's Log - 6.27.2542

UNSC _Fateful Lightning_, FFG-918

Captain Geoff Bentley, Commanding

6.27.42 – 0630: Received distress signal from colony Emerald Cove. Captain Bentley orders ship to rendezvous with frigate UNSC _Perry _and destroyer UNSC _Falkland_ above the colony.

6.27.42 – 0715: Arrived in-system with the _Perry _and the _Falkland_. Two Covenant frigates and one destroyer encountered in orbit above Emerald Cove. Captain Jefferson of the _Falkland_ orders all ships to engage targets.

6.27.42 – 0825: Covenant ships successfully destroyed. _Perry_ severely damaged and pulls back to Reach for repairs. _Perry_'s contingent of Marines berth onboard _Fateful Lightning._

6.27.42 – 0830: _Falkland _finishes scan of Emerald Cove, discovered multitude of Covenant dropships landing on planet. Captain Jefferson orders both ships to send Marine detachments to engage the enemy.

6.27.42 – 0915: _Fateful Lightning _launches first wave of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, commanded by Colonel Windsor, in HEVs (Human Entry Vehicles), followed shortly by _Falkland_'s detachment.

6.27.42 – 0955: First wave successfully lands on Emerald Cove, near New Barbados, encounters fierce Covenant resistance. Colonel Windsor requests second wave be engaged ASAP.

6.27.42 – 1010: Second wave of ODSTs launched, followed by _Perry_'s Marine battalion, commanded by Major Lysander, in Pelican dropships.

6.27.42 – 1036: Colonel Windsor reports multiple breakthroughs along enemy front, additional troops needed to exploit them.

6.27.42 – 1050: Second wave of ODSTs land on surface.

6.27.42 – 1115: _Perry_'s Marine detachment lands on surface.

6.27.42 – 1124: Colonel Windsor reports breakthroughs successfully exploited, enemy retreating en masse. Estimates 60% enemy casualties, 27% Marine casualties.

6.27.42 – 1152: Major Lysander's Marines ordered to take Pelicans to New Barbados, meet with civilian leaders, and discuss preparations for evacuation should larger Covenant force arrive.

6.27.42 – 1231: Captain Jefferson orders that remaining Marine personnel be shipped down to surface. _Fateful Lightning_'s CBs (Construction Battalions) ordered to head down to planet surface to begin construction of UNSC base.

6.27.42 – 1245: Report from Major Lysander of Covenant personnel in New Barbados, number uncertain.

6.27.42 – 1257: Ops Officer detects object at extreme range on sensors. Object identity unknown.

6.27.42 – 1307: Covenant frigate and destroyer drop out of Slipspace. Captain Jefferson orders the attack.

6.27.42 – 1323: _Fateful Lightning_ successfully destroys frigate, aids _Falkland _in engaging destroyer.

6.27.42 – 1401: Destroyer successfully destroyed. _Falkland _suffers electrical failures due to EMP from detonation of Shiva missiles. _Fateful Lightning_ suffers damage to engines. Reactor operating at 68%.

6.27.42 – 1410: _Falkland _contacts HIGHCOM requesting reinforcements. Frigates UNSC _Haddock_, UNSC _Sacramento_, and UNSC _Burke_, destroyer UNSC _Sovereign_, and cruiser UNSC _Macedonian_ ordered to Emerald Cove.

6.27.42 – 1430: Major Lysander reports Covenant attacks in strength along outskirts of New Barbados. _Falkland_'s Marine detachment sent in support.

6.27.42 – 1530: Major Lysander reports Covenant successfully repulsed from New Barbados, defenses under construction.

6.27.42 – 1610: _Fateful Lightning_'s CBs report completion of Marine base on surface, codenamed "Copenhagen."

6.27.42 – 1725: Major Lysander reports adequate defenses constructed around perimeter of New Barbados. Troops supported by local defense forces.

6.27.42 – 1850: _Macedonian_, _Sovereign_, _Burke_, _Sacramento_, and _Haddock _arrive in-system, under command of Rear Admiral O'Shaughnessy of _Macedonian_. _Fateful Lightning _and _Falkland_ are now part of Battlegroup Delphi.

6.27.42 – 1855: Admiral O'Shaughnessy orders all ships to form defensive perimeter around Emerald Cove. _Macedonian_ sends out Longsword fighters as pickets.

6.27.42 – 2310: Colonel Windsor reports Covenant probe attacks on Marine forward operating bases; all successfully repulsed.

6.28-42 – 0630: Radio contact lost with New Barbados.

6.28.42 – 0700: Colonel Windsor reports mass Covenant attacks on forward operating bases. All bases overrun; no survivors reported.

6.28.42 – 0730: Repeated attempts to contact New Barbados fail. Low-flying Longsword fighter from _Macedonian_ reports massive column of smoke coming from city's direction.

6.28.42 – 0815: ODST recon report to Colonel Windsor that Covenant are massing for an assault on Copenhagen base. Hostile strength estimated at over 10,000. Marine strength: approx. 2,000 ODSTs and 3,500 Marines.

6.28.42 – 0845: Copenhagen reports three Pelican dropships spotted in distance, one trailing smoke. IFF confirmed as 3 of the 10 Pelicans sent with Major Lysander.

6.28.42 – 0858: Pelicans lands at Marine base, contain survivors from New Barbados: 195 civilians, 30 Marines, including Major Lysander.

6.28.42 – 0901: Major Lysander reports mass Covenant attack during the night on New Barbados. Enemy strength estimated at well over 15,000. Lysander reports that his 1,200 Marines were overwhelmed within two and a half hours. No other survivors reported.

6.28.42 – 0925: _Haddock _detects large Slipspace object at extreme range. Profile matches that of known Covenant ships.

6.28.42 – 0928: Admiral O'Shaughnessy orders all ships to take predetermined defensive positions. _Fateful Lightning_ ordered to hold at the rear, engaging the enemy at extreme range, and providing support to Marines on the ground in event of Covenant ground assault.

6.28.42 – 0940: Covenant CCS-class battlecruiser, three destroyers, and 4 frigates drop out of Slipspace near the Battle Group.

6.28.42 – 0941: Admiral O'Shaughnessy orders all ships to engage the enemy at will. _Fateful Lightning_ maintains geostationary orbit over Copenhagen base.

6.28.42 – 1005: _Sacramento _engages Covenant frigate, but is attacked by destroyer and destroyed with all hands.

6.28.42 – 1015: Colonel Windsor reports that Covenant assault on Copenhagen has begun.

6.28.42 – 1034: _Fateful Lightning _destroys Covenant frigate at extreme range with MAC gun. Battlecruiser, three destroyers, and two frigates remain. UNSC strength at 87%.

6.28.42 – 1047: Major Lysander requests Shortsword bombing run at Grid 47, Section 9. _Macedonian _acknowledges receipt of request.

6.28.42 – 1103: _Macedonian _engages and destroys Covenant destroyer. _Fateful Lightning _continues to provide fire support.

6.28.42 – 1114: _Burke _and _Haddock_ engage Covenant destroyer. Vessel successfully destroyed, but _Burke _reports armor plating at 25%, multiple hull breaches. _Haddock _reports complete depletion of Archer missiles.

6.28.42 – 1146: _Sovereign _engages remaining Covenant destroyer. Destroys ship with Shiva missile, but reports engines operating at 43% and MAC gun rendered inoperable by EMP.

6.28.42 – 1205: Colonel Windsor reports heavy hostile casualties, but estimates position overrun within two and a half hours.

6.28.42 – 1211: _Macedonian_ requests _Fateful Lightning_'s assistance in assaulting CCS-class battlecruiser. Captain Bentley acknowledges and orders ship be brought to flank speed.

6.28.42 – 1220: _Macedonian _and _Fateful Lightning_ engage Covenant battlecruiser.

6.28.42 – 1225: UNSC _Burke_ destroyed with all hands by Covenant frigate. UNSC _Falkland _engages frigate.

6.28.42 – 1236: _Fateful Lightning_ hit by plasma torpedo. Multiple hull breaches, casualties reported.

6.28.42 – 1247: _Falkland _destroys Covenant frigate. Captain Jefferson reports heavy casualties, engines operating at 36%.

6.28.42 – 1312: _Macedonian_ reports complete depletion of Archer missiles. Admiral O'Shaughnessy uses escape pods as projectiles.

6.28.42 – 1340: UNSC _Sovereign_ receives direct hit from multiple plasma torpedoes. Captain Tulane sets ship on collision course with Covenant cruiser.

6.28.42 – 1345: _Sovereign_ impacts Covenant cruiser. Both ships destroyed. _Fateful Lightning_ detects 7 lifeboats from _Sovereign_, moves to collect survivors.

6.28.42 – 1355: Colonel Windsor reports front lines being overrun, Marines falling back to secondary defensive positions. Despite heavy casualties, Covenant force is still superior. Colonel Windsor reports fewer than 400 ODSTS and 1,200 Marines are combat effective. 900 WIA and 1,900 KIA reported.

6.28.42 – 1420: _Haddock _detects massive Slipspace object at extreme range. Estimates upwards of 20 Covenant capital ships enroute.

6.28.42 – 1422: Admiral O'Shaughnessy orders evacuation of all ground forces from Emerald Cove. Captain Bentley ordered to attempt radio contact with other major population centers on the surface.

6.28.42 – 1440: No response to _Fateful Lightning_'s hails. Assumed cities were overrun by previously unknown Covenant forces.

6.28.42 – 1442: Major Lysander reports that he has set a HAVOK tactical nuke for detonation after the evacuation of Copenhagen Base.

6.28.42 – 1446: Renewed Covenant offensive on Copenhagen Base, Marines and ODSTs fall back to Pelican dropships. Colonel Windsor hit by a needler round.

6.28.42 – 1455: Last Pelican departs Copenhagen Base. Major Lysander reports that the HAVOK nuke is set to detonate in four minutes.

6.28.42 – 1459: HAVOK nuke detonates. Fireball is visible from orbit. Copenhagen Base completely destroyed.

6.28.42 – 1521: First Pelicans reach Battlegroup Delphi. Colonel Windsor declared DOA.

6.28.42 – 1530: All Pelicans accounted for. 192 civilians and 2,300 Marines recovered, though more than 1,000 of them are WIA. Estimates place the dead at 4,400.

6.28.42 – 1534: Covenant fleet dropped out of Slipspace. Fleet consists of one assault carrier, five CCS-class Battlecruisers, seven destroyers, and fifteen frigates. Admiral O'Shaughnessy orders all ships to initiate the Cole Protocol and retreat using randomized Slipspace vectors. _Fateful Lightning _leaves a probe behind to observe Covenant fleet.

6.28.42 – 1600: Covenant fleet begins to glass Emerald Cove.


End file.
